Family Games Review - Part 2

I'll conclude my two part review of family games today with a collection of pocket games that I recently purchased.  Later today, I'll be watching my eight-year-old grandtwins for several hours, and I'll be sure to stash a few of these fun games in my purse just in case.  Always go prepared!

First we have Spot It, a clever game that comes in a small tin.  This game is recommended for 2 to 8 players, ages 7 to adult.  A sharp eye and a little bit of speed is all it takes to play any one of the 5 game options included in the can.  Between any 2 cards in this game, there is always one, and only one, matching symbol.  Spot It and you are on your way to winning this game.

When the hubby and I played, I was so much quicker at seeing the matches than he was at first.  I told myself it's the mother in me, it's the female part of me noticing details, it's the history of having eyes in the back of my head, and all that blah blah.  Then suddenly he started to get the hang of the game, and he got real quick, real fast.  I'm not even gonna say who won the next three games of Spot It.

Next we played On The Dot.  I'd recommend this game for older children, teens and adults.  In this game, players arrange four transparent squares so that they all overlap to perfectly duplicate the pattern of dots shown on a selected pattern card.  You can either play solitaire, or against others.

Hubby and I played by choosing five pattern cards.  First player to make the transparent squares match all five cards was the winner.  It took some thinking and doing, believe me, and therefore I loved the mental challenge of playing this game.

Basic rules are simple, however the game is anything but:
  1.  You must use all four transparent squares to duplicate the pattern.
  2.  You may rotate and flip the squares in any direction.
  3.  All four squares must end up overlapping to form a single square.

If you're thinking of buying On The Dot, here's some strategy we learned that may help - Try to figure out how to hide the dots you don't need.

Man Bites Dog is a hilarious headline card game, a game in which you choose the news.  You're dealt a hand of Headline Cards with words on them, each with a point value.  When it's your turn, you construct the headline that earns the most points and the biggest laughs.  The winner of this game is the first to get 500 points.  The game box recommends having 2 to 6 players, ages 8 and up.  We definitely had some laughs with this one, and several times had to challenge each other on the headlines created.

Finally, Deer in the Headlights is a crazy card and dice game, "played by wild game everywhere,"  according to the box.  The object of this game is to be the first to discard all of your cards and win the round.  Watch out, though!  A "deer in the headlights" roll will stall your progress.  Roll a "car" or "running deer" on the dice and you will dump cards on your opponents.

This game is easy to learn and fun for the whole family (play with 2 or more players, ages 5 and older).

I purchased all four of these games in my local Wal-Mart in the games area.  Some were located in the board games area, and others were hanging on pegs where the playing cards are located.  Any of these packages would fit easily in a Christmas stocking, and would be a good "teaser" gift to be opened on Christmas eve or earlier.

Just something fun to amuse the fidgety kiddos while they wait for Santa.....

Or, you could make them sit on a five dollar bill for a half hour.

Which may have happened a time or two at our home....